Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Swedish Death Cleaning Coming to the U.S.

The practice of law involves many roles: advising clients, researching statutes, following changes in federal law, drafting documents, and on particularly fun days -- being a guest on Wisconsin Public Radio!  This past October I was invited to be a guest on Central Time for a discussion of Swedish Death Cleaning, billed as the next biggest fad to hit the US. 

Swedish Death Cleaning is a Scandinavian concept designed to encourage people to review their possessions, doing away with the unneeded and making a plan for the beloved.  The book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson hits American book stores January 2, 2018.  My copy is already preorderd, and a more specific review will be appear in my newsletter and here on Navigator in January 2018. 

Based on what I've read thus far, I have two things to add.  First, don't wait until you 80s to tackle the clutter.  My father died at 67, my mom died at 70, leaving me a ranch house filled with items to distribute, recycle, re-home or trash.  We are not guaranteed our 80s, don't put off until then what you can do today.  Second, don't overlook digital clutter -- social media, digital photos, web sites, blogs, and all sorts of other e-items are growing and growing.  One day they'll need to be purged.

Here is a link to the show on Central Time.  Enjoy, and happy de-cluttering!  We are making 2018 a year to purge as though we were moving, even though we are not moving.  Thanks for reading, and be well.